EXCLUSIVE: WB’s ‘The Witches’ Remake Directed By Robert Zemeckis Will Take Place During 1969

Omega Underground has a new plot detail to share about Robert Zemeckis’ remake of The Witches which will be taking place in Alabama instead of the United Kingdom. The era of the film will be taking place during the year 1969.

Previously, we reported that the male lead (unlikely to be named Luke) and his grandmother would be played by African-American actors. Also, his pet mouse Daisy will be a girl that had been previously turned into a mouse by a Witch. Burno will also complete the trio who once the boys are turned into mice will team-up with Daisy to take down the Witches’ plot to turn all the children of the world into mice.

Having the film take place in the American South with a young black lead during the 1960’s is extremely different than the original 1990 version of the material. It’s an interesting take for sure.

Here is the film’s synopsis we revealed in the previous reporting.

When his parents are killed, a young boy goes to live with his feisty, loving grandma, who had a terrifying encounter with witches when she was just a girl. When Grandma realizes that the witches have returned, she flees with the Boy to the swankiest resort in the South — only to realize that they’ve wandered right into a nest of witches, headed by the Grand High Witch, who intends to transform the world’s children into mice — starting with the Boy…

We’ve also learned that the young actors cast the main three roles will be doing motion capture for their mice scenes.

Filming is said to begin this April in the United Kingdom and Stateside (we assume Georgia or Louisiana).

The studio is also developing a Charlie and The Chocolate Factory prequel focusing on a young Willy Wonka.